Toyota, BMW jointly research lithium-air batteries – fuel cell system and sports car also on the cards

Toyota and BMW will jointly research a lithium-air battery expected to be more powerful than the lithium-ion batteries used in today’s hybrids and EVs, the two carmakers said.

The cooperation will also include work on a fuel cell vehicle system (fuel cell stack, hydrogen tank and motor) by 2020, and a shared platform and technology for a mid-sized sports car. The latter will be completed by the end of 2013. Now that we know the brilliant 86 isn’t a one-off, we can’t wait to see the fruits of this marriage.

There’s also a plan to reduce the weight of vehicle bodies through the use of lightweight materials, such as reinforced composites, and this could be fed back into the sports car project.

The strengthening of the partnership between Toyota, the world’s best-selling automaker, and BMW, the largest premium carmaker, will allow them to cut development costs as competition intensifies globally, reports Reuters.

“In order for FCVs (fuel cell vehicles) to become more widely used, it needs to be cheaper. That would require a great deal of time and cost for development,” said Toyota vice chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, the man who led development of the Prius in the late 90s. “By bringing together the wisdom of two companies, we can aim to make FCVs more popular much quicker,” he told a news conference with BMW at Nagoya.

Toyota said it wanted to introduce a new fuel cell vehicle around 2020 using the jointly developed technology, while BMW said a launch date had not been decided. Toyota aims to start selling a fuel cell sedan by around 2015.

Now, what about the lithium-air battery? A lithium-air battery has its anode filled with lithium, and cathode with air. Theoretically, the battery can generate and store more electricity than the existing lithium-ion standard. The technology is being studied by researchers including IBM, which is working to develop a lithium-air battery that will let electric vehicles run 800 km on one charge.

Toyota, eager to strengthen its diesel engine line-up in a sagging European market, agreed in 2011 to collaborate with BMW on lithium-ion battery research in exchange for a steady supply of BMW-made diesel engines starting in 2014. BMW, which needs to cut carbon emissions of its new car fleet by roughly a third by 2020, agreed with Toyota in 2012 to work on fuel cells and electrified powertrains too.

The two companies reiterated that they had no plans for a capital tie-up.

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

The two most popular and controversial brand of Malaysia, Toyota and BMW, collaborating? Can’t see why this is a bad news. But a new BMW-Toyota sports car? Although I’am having a hard time believing the completion date at the end of this year, This is great news!! A new Supra based on the next Z4? Possible.but most likely a hybrid.

Can’t wait to see the future of this collaboration, and BMW, while you’re at it, lend Toyota a hand by giving them a better gearbox. And being Toyota & BMW, I’am
Expecting a lot of neigh sayer in the comments.

And does it really have to be about us?I like and love cars even though I do not have te money to afford 95% of those in the market. And if a great product is launch, I’am happy. Your comment make it sounds like that you want everything they do to revolve around you (sounds like, but I’m sure not the intention)

Maybe because I’am still immature and still can dream ,but if every car or car news has to come to benefit you first. This isn’t really a world for you. As long as it dose’t affect us negatively , I’m okay.

Furthermore I believe that this tech, the hydrogen and lithium air tech, may weather down to toyota cars of our standard in the future, well, at least 17 years from now.

“The cooperation will also include work on a fuel cell vehicle system (fuel cell stack, hydrogen tank and motor) by 2020, and a shared platform and technology for a mid-sized sports car. ”

I think you need to read it more carefully or not you’ll just make a great big fool of yourself. Its said they are planning to share platform and technology for a mid-size sports car (hopefully Supra replacement, as Akio wanted it badly, and the next gen Z4). Although they did’t say how far the collaboration apart from platform , so hopefully there is some major difference between the teutonic and the Nippon cars, unlike the GT86/BRZ, which has close-to-zero difference.

Kinda ironic since the last time German and Japanese decided to join force, the world was a bit chaotic. But now we look forward for the result. If you still have a hard time believing me, than maybe PT article wast clear enough. So here’s one from WCF

Must see this! All the Hydrogen and Electricity you need from Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants using Fuel Cell Technology!
Impressive in my opinion… Hope you like the videos… Not sure why our elected officials are not recognizing this more quickly! Microsoft is!!!

“New fuel cell sewage gas station in Orange County, CA may be world’s first”
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/orange_county&id=8310315

“It is here today and it is deployable today,” said Tom Mutchler of Air Products and Chemicals Inc., a sponsor and developer of the project.

Construction of world’s largest fuel cell power plant. (in South Korea? with USA developed fuel cell technology??)
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/news-events/news-archive/2012/october/construction-of-worlds-largest-fuel-cell-power-plant-expected-to-commence-in-2012

2.8MW fuel cell using biogas now operating; Largest PPA of its kind in North America
http://www.fuelcelltoday.com/news-events/news-archive/2012/october/28-mw-fuel-cell-using-biogas-now-operating-largest-ppa-of-its-kind-in-north-america

Finally technology like this is now visible in site. But bare in mind that our electricity cost is not so permitting as when you use more, it eventually equal to paying the same price of petrol. In order save cost, we have to force TNB price down and demand an a fair cost in TNB price for charging this EV at home. I do not know whether this TNB knows about the future EV but suspect that they are already to make more monies by charging more to profit on these poor consumers!

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